Hamilton young castner



(No Model.)

Y. OASTNER. ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS.

No. 518,135. Patentefi AprLIO, 1894.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HAMILTON YOUNG OASTNER,'OF LONDON, ENGLAND.

ELECTROLYTIC APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 518,135, dated April10, 1894.

Application filed June 8, 1893. Serial No. 476,939. (No model.)

.To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HAMILTON YOUNG CAST- NER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at 13 Abchurch Lane, in the city ofLondon, England,have invented-certain new and useful Improvements in Connection withElectrolytic Apparatus; and I do hereby declare-that the following is afull, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enableothers skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use thesame.

This invention relates to that class of electrolytic apparatus in whichit is necessary that a certain portion of the substance or materialcontained therein should be moved from cell to cell; the invention beingparticularly applicable for carrying out the process described in thespecification of application filed September 26, 1892, Serial No.446,915. In said specification is described a process of forming anamalgam or alloy particularly between mercury and sodium, the latterbeing formed by deposition from a solution of chloride of sodium whichafter being deposited in the mercury is moved with said mercury to asecond compartment where it is separated forming caustic soda.

The object of the present invention is to produce simple mechanicalmeans for securing the circulation of mercury or amalgam, as dependingupon this is the success of the process. To this end the inventionconsists in so mounting the electrolytic cells that they shall becapable of being rocked or tilted by mechanical means at regularintervals, the result being that the mercury or other material at thebottom of one compartment will be caused to flow to the compartment nextin order from whence it will be returned after being subjected tosuitable electric action therein. It will be evident that the desiredend may be accomplished by pivoting or supporting the bath .in a varietyof ways and that the requisite rocking or tilting motion may be impartedthereto by a variety of devices. By experiment it is judged,however,that a convenient method of carrying out the invention will be asfollows, reference being made to the drawings which form part of thespecification and in which--= Figure 1 represents the side sectionalelevalion and Fig. 2 a front end view of same.

trics F secured to shaft E, said eccentrics bearing against the metalplate H or upon the bottom of the cell as the case may be. As howeverthe cells are frequently made of slate or like material, it will beevident that a metallic bearing surface will frequently be desirable.Shaft E is supported and driven by any suitable means, such as bybearings N N, belt L and pulley K. The speed of rotation of said shaftand the shape of the ec-- centrics will necessarily vary depending uponthe tilt which it is desired to give to the cell and the rapidity withwhich such tilting ac-' tion is to be repeated. When carrying out theprocess described in the said former specification it is judged thatwith a depth of mercury or amalgam of about an eighth of an inch it willonly be necessary, to raise and lower the front of the cell about aneighth of an inch above and below the horizontal plane Y and this resultmay be attained with an eccentric having a pitch of afourth of an inch;the speed of the revolving shaftbeing adjusted to allow time during,which the mercury or amalgam may flow and come to a level between eachtilting action.

Referring again to the accompanying drawings, a, represents thepartitions which divide the cell into the several compartments b, thesaid partitions fitting into grooves 0, formed in the bottom of saidcell, so as to leave spaces beneath the same, as shown. In-the bottom ofthe cell is a layer of mercury e, while contained or arranged withinpreferably the central compartment 1), is the electrode T, the saidelectrode having the electrical connections indicated by the usual plusand minus signs or symbols.

What I claim is 1. The combination with an electrolytic cell providedwith compartments having means of communication, of means for causingthe contained mercury or other substance to circulate between saidcompartments by the action of gravity, substantially as described.

2. The combination with an electrolytic cell ing movement to causethemercury to flow I5 from one compartment to the otherand back again,substantially as shown and for the purpose described. I y

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in the presence of twosubscribing 20 witnesses.

HAMILTON YOUNG CAS'INER.

Witnesses:

GEO. J. B. FRANKLIN, 17 Gracechurch Street, London, E. O.

WALTER P. SKERTEN, 17 Gracechurch Street, London.

